’Tommy’ you was when it began,
But now that it is o’er
You shall be called The Service Man
’Enceforward, evermore.
Batt’ry, brigade, flank, centre, van,
Defaulter, Army corps—
From first to last The Service Man
’Enceforward, evermore.
From ’Alifax to ’Industan,
From York to Singapore—
’Orse, foot, an’ guns, The Service Man
’Enceforward, evermore!
CHANT-PAGAN
ENGLISH IRREGULAR: ’99–02
Me that ’ave been what I’ve been,
Me that ’ave gone where I’ve gone,
Me that ’ave seen what I’ve seen—
’Ow can I ever take on
With awful old England again,
An’ ’ouses both sides of the street,
And ’edges two sides of the lane,
And the parson an’ ‘gentry’ between,
An’ touchin’ my ’at when we meet—
Me that ’ave been what I’ve been?
Me that ’ave watched ’arf a world
’Eave up all shiny with dew,
Kopje on kop to the sun,
An’ as soon as the mist let ’em through
Our ’elios winkin’ like fun—
Three sides of a ninety-mile square,
Over valleys as big as a shire—
Are ye there? Are ye there? Are ye there?
An’ then the blind drum of our fire ...
An’ I’m rollin’ ’is lawns for the Squire,
Me!
Me that ’ave rode through the dark
Forty mile often on end,
Along the Ma’ollisberg Range,
With only the stars for my mark
An’ only the night for my friend,
An’ things runnin’ off as you pass,
An’ things jumpin’ up in the grass,
An’ the silence, the shine an’ the size
Of the ’igh, inexpressible skies....
I am takin’ some letters almost
As much as a mile, to the post,
An’ ‘mind you come back with the change!’
Me!